Creasing and hemming machine



W. WADE CREASING AND HEMMING MACHINE A ri 6 192s. 1,579,496

Filed July 6, 1925 2 Shegts-Sheei 1 W. WADE CREASING AND HEMMING MACHINEApril 6 19 26.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1925 Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED l s ATEs wILL'IA WADE, or" CHICAGO, Immora cnnasme AND magmaMAGHIifTE.

Application file d July 6, 1925. Serial Noi. 41,499. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, WILLIAM WAnE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,haveeinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Creasingand HemmingMachines, of which the following is a description, reference being-hadto' the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification. I

V My invention relates to a machine for creasing and hemming fabric.aJn'd'inore especially the fabric or 'mater'ial'employed for windowshades, preparatory to receiving theusual stick or slat at the free orcord receiving end of the shade.)

' My invention'has for its object the pro-' vision of a machine-wherebythe fabricor' shades may be provided with a uniform and standard sizedhem which'may'be more quickly produced than has heretofore been the casewith the method or practice of forming liems manually; and'as a resultof my invention, the frequent soiling of the fabric or shade material bythe hands of the operator is prevented and-considerable" time and laborsaved.

The objects and advantages of my invention will all be more fullycomprehended from the detailed description oftheaccompanying drawings,wherein r Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine, withaportionof the bed plate or table broken away. i

Figure 2 illustrates, in perspective, a portion of fabric or shade,showing the type of the hem produced.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view taken on the line t-4 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail the crease and hem forming portion of the machine;illustrating'the initial step or ac tion.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the second stage or step :'inthecrease forming operation. V

Figure 7 is a similar perspective view i1- lustrating the third orfin'al. stage of the crease forming operation and the position of thecreasing perspective view of nism.

In the particular 'exemplific'ation of the I inventionas illustrated inthe drawings,'it

and hem producing mecha PAT NT oFFIcE'.

comprisesa suitable table 10of widtha'n'd I length sufficient to receivethe sheets of fabric or window shades which'it is intend ed to creaseand hem; :the construction illustrated being more particularly adaptedfor the creasinguand hemming of-wi-ndow shades which are previouslycutt'o'fsize and of predetermined width.

In operation, the-shade material, "which is usually rolled, is placed onthe tablev and inorder' to prevent the' rolls of material fromfallingoif the table, (where the latter isnot in contact at the rear side witha wall orpartition), I have shown the table or bed plate 10 providedwith an upstanding ledge 11 along what may be-termed the rear side.

namely the side opposite to that at which the operator is located. Thecomposite table ortop 10, which is supportedby any suitable framework orstandardslasat 12, 7

comprises, in addition to the main part or rear section 13, a metallicstrip 13 stationarily mounted; a metallic strip or section 14 ofsuitable width and yieldingly mounted on the cross-members 12 soastopermit a transversely shifting thereof, as is also true with-the sectionor' metallic' strip 15 whichmaybe of any desired width andwhich constitutes a portion of the creasing mechanism; while the side orportion'of the table 7 or top 10 adjacent to the operator comprises animmovable sectionfor board 16 suitably supported and secured to the'topcross members'of the supporting frame or standard. The-'sections1'3, 14and 15 are preferably metal plates or bars. i

. of the machine. The ends of the cross-bar 20 are provided with rods22, 22, disposed upwardly through suitable openings in the plate orsection 14. The upper ends of the rods are provided, with a cross-stripor member 23 which may be held in place in any suitable manner, as forexample by the nuts 24 secured on the upper threaded end of the rods 22.The sides of the cross-strip or member 23 are shown provided with theplates 25, 25 secured to the block or strip 23 in any suitable manner soas to have the lower longitudinal edges of theplates 25 depend beneaththe strip 23 which latter is substantially of the same or slightlygreater width than the width of the strip or table section 14, so thatthe depending longitudinal edges of the plates 25, may enter the slots26, 26 on opposite sides ofthe strip or table section 14 when thefoottreadle or pedal 19 is depressed, which in turn depresses cross-bar20 thereby moving the composite fabric or shade controlling element,composed of the block 23 and plates 25, downwardly through the medium ofrods 22. As is apparent from the construction shown, if the fabric orwindow shade brought beneath the vertically reciprocating element,downward movement of the element will cause the fabric, or window shadeindicated at A, to be forced down into the slots 26 as shown in Figure5. The strip or table section 14 is yieldingly held in normal positionrelative to the permanently fixed portion 13 by means of one or moresprings as shown at 27, see Figure 3; the cross bar 20 with theconnecting rods 22 having suflicient play to permit the slight lateralmovement of the various elements referred, to.

The strip or section 15 is shown provided with a. pin or lug 28 (seeFigure to which one end of a spring 29 is secured. while the other endof the spring is secured to an immovable portion of the table orsupporting frame. A similar arrangement or springris preferably employedat each end of the strip 15; and these springs tend to return the stripto normal position, namely in spaced relation with the strip 14.

The supporting frame or standard, beneath the table top, is providedwith suitable brackets as at- 30, in Figure 1, to support a rocker shaftor rod 31 which, at a convenient point, is provided with an operatinglever or handle 32 fixedly secured to the rod or shaft 31 so as to rockthe latter when the lever 32 is oscillated upwardly.

The rod or shaft 31 is also provided with arms 33 fixedly securedthereto; with the upper endsof the arms 33 engaging with the strip 15 soas to cause the latter to move toward strip 14 when rod or shaft 31 isrocked on its axis by the upward movement of lever 32; the strip 15,together with rocker shaft 31 and the hand lever 32, being re turned tonormal position through the action of the spring or springs 29. It isapparent that sufficient movement of lever 32 will not only move stripor aw member 15 into juxtaposition with strip 14, but will also of strip14 andas' aresult definitely crease the material or window shade whichhas previously been inserted into the slots through the action of thereciprocating composite crease forming head previously described.

In order that the fabric or window shade may be held in place when thecrease forming plates 25, 25 of the composite crease forming head comein contact with the fabric or shade, the composite head is shown alsoinvolving a fiat strip or plate 34 whichextends full length of the crossstrip or member 23 and is yieldingly supported therebeneath by means ofthe bolts or pins 35 which extend through suitable openings in the crossstrip or member 23; the pins or bolts 35 being surrounded each by a.coil spring 36, one end whereof presses on the plate 34 while the otherend is seated in the countersunk opening 37 in the cross strip or member23, thus yieldingly maintaining the plate 34 in spaced relation with thecross strip 23. The length of the pins 35 are preferably such that theplate 34, when in normal position, will be slightly above the loweredges of the pair of plates As is evident from the constructions shownin Fig ures 5 and 6, the plate 34 will press the fabric or window shadematerial onto the strip 14 and maintain its position while the creaserhead is further depressed. (which is permitted bythe compression of thecoil springs 36) so as to permit the plates 25, 25 to force the materialsufficiently into the slots 26 in order to provide a proper crease inthe material.

In operation, the operator places the rolled end of the window shade onthe permanent portion 13 of the table and brings the free end of theshade beneath the composite creaser head a distance sufficient to permitof the formation of a suitable hem; he then depresses foot lever 19 soas to bring the composite creaser head into contact with the material,causing plate 34 to hold the material firmly on strip 14 while theplates 25 place the material into the slot 26. Vith the material in thisposition, as shown in Figure 5, the operator then grasps lever 32- andmoves same upwardly so as to rock rocker shaft 31 which causes the arm33 thereof to force table section or strip 15 toward strip 14. Theinitial upward movement of lever 32, however, is just sufficient tofrictionally hold the material by the strips 15, 14 and the permanentportion 13 of the table, but not sufficient to grip the plates 25, 25 ofthe composite creaser head which latter is allowed toi move"iipwardlyback to normal position resulting tromthei opering shown inFigure 7. V Upon releasing the foot treadlef19', the compositeicreaserhead returns upwardly through-theaction of the springs -38;-one endbeing secured v to the c1'oss-bar20 .while the other end is secured at asuitable stationarypoint on the supporting frame, at which time theoperator applies greater upward pressure .on

hand lever 32, causing strip 15 of the table top. to grip the materialbetween strip 15 and strip 14 whilethe latter has simultaneously beenmoved into juxtaposition with'the permanent table-portion- 13-so that apair of heavy or very defined creases are formed in the material orwindow shade, with the result that. whenthe hand lever 32! is releasedand-the strips" 14 and 15 returned to normal separated position, thewindow shade material will automatically fold over into theconditionshownin-Figure '2 and thus The hem is then stitched in' placeat the junetureuof the operations a and b and the window, shade. is thenready to receive the usual strip'or slat for the cord-receiving end v 1grooves to receive the .upper end's of the arms 33 which" engagewith theedge of the V of thewindow shade.,. g

Inorder that hems :of difierentwidtlis may be made, 1' providea. gaugeor control mechanism shown. in the particular exemplification in the,form of the threaded pins or bolts 39: secured, to the cross-bar 20 andpassing upwardly through apertured' ans gle members 40 which are securedto the standards or uprights A12, 1 The-pins or bolts 39 are ofcomparative length and are 40 and thereby limit-the downward movement ofcross-bar 2 0 and hence the downward stroke of the composite headcarrying the plates 25, 25; I J Y If the shade or material is to beprovided with a comparatively narrow hem, the nuts- 41 are screwed,downon the pins 39 to the desired extent, thereby limiting the degree ofinsertion of blades .25 into the slots 26.

the two defined creases will be increased as eing the blades are allowedto further pass ,downwardly between the movable table sections in otherwords, a wider hem is produced when the blades pass downward tovagreater;

extent than shown in Figure 5 for example. It will be understood thatwhen the nuts 41 are screwed to the upper endof the pins 39 the crossbar20 :with the creaser head willthenbe permitted to move so as to pro videa hem of maximum width; while'adjustments of the nuts to'a pointintermediate of the upper end oftheipins and thecross bar'will providehems of narrower Width. J In order that the movable-sections 14.

and 15 may not be displaced or have longitudinal movement, I providethese sections;

on the -lower surfaces thereof with trans versely disposed blocks orstrips 42 at adjacent opposite ends of the sections and disposed to whatmay be termed the outer sides of the cross members or bars 12,with theblocks or strips 42 engaging with'the cross' members 12 4 whilepermitting free sliding movement of the sections 14 and 15 j on thecross members a 12. In order that the" crossplates 25, 25 may' movedownwardly on opposite sides of the section 14, the plate 25' on whatmay be termed the rear sidezof the cross head, namely the side disposedtoward head I with v q the table portion 13, is provided with cut Ioutportions-as shown at 43 at points adapted to register with thesprings 27, in order that the: plates '25 -will not interfere with thesprings 27.; and the front stationary section or board 1 6 of the tabletop-on theflower side is provided with cutout portions or metallic plateor section 15;

My improved-machine 1s adapted to provide the window shade: or -materialwith either "a single hem as-shown in Figure 2 or with what may becalleda duplex hem where the material is folded once more uponjitself',

but in the opposite direction, this type oi hem being provided byturning the material or window shade over and creasing'itin the oppositedirection. 1th my improved 1nachine, itis apparent that a hem disposedat all times be formed regardless of whether ornot the free end- 0f thewindow shade is out true, as the creasing and hemming operation isusually formed with the window shade rolled up with the exception of thefree or slat receiving "end which is to be provided with the hem, Theshade being rolled up in the manner stated, may be placed by theoperator-against the rear sideof the creaser head so 'asto be alignedtherer "with (the window shade being rolled up properly)thus'inducinglthe hem to-be properly disposed, namely at ri'ghtanglesto-the sides ofthe shade; .As thematerial is forced into the slots26, it is evident that when the movable sections are brought intojuxtaposition .and into close relation with the nonmovable section 13that the window shade will be given a very defined crease which willinduce the material or window shade to fold upon itself and thusautomatically pro vide .the hem and therefore obviate the necessity formanually folding the material over, which operation is at present in useand results in serious injuries to the hands of the operator because ofthe constant frictional contact with the shade material in producingadefinite crease and hem.

I have shown what I believe to be a simple adaptation of my invention,which has been described in terms employed merely as terms ofdescription and not as terms of limitation, as modifications arepossible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a plurality of parallellyarranged crease forming members adapted to move toward each other, meanswhereby the material to :be creased and hemmed is forced between saidmembers, and means whereby said members'are moved into crease formingrelation.

'2. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a work holding table, aplurality of crease forming members arranged parallel with and in theplane of the tabletop, means whereby the material to be creased'andhemmed is forced between said members, and means whereby said membersare moved into'crease forming relation.

3. A creasing and hemming machine, provided with a flat work holding topcomposed of longitudinal parallel sections normally held in spacedrelation, certain of said sections being movable toward each other,means whereby the movable sections may be controlled, and means wherebythe material to be creased is forced between said spaced sections andthe width of the hem thereby controlled.

i. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a work holding topcomposed of stationar and movable sections, the movable sections beingadapted to slide transversely toward the stationary section, means foryieldingly maintaining the movable sections in spaced relation with thestationary section and with each other, means for moving the sectionstoward each other and toward the stationary section, and means forforcing the materialv to be creased between the respective sections.

5. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a stationary section, apair of transversely movable sections arranged flush with the stationarysection, a lever operably connected to one of said pair of movablesections whereby the latter are forced toward each other andgtoward thestationary section,

springs for normally holding the sections in spaced relation, a headreciprocatingly mounted above the sections and provided with materialengaging longitudinal edges adapted to force the material between thesections, and means for reciprocating the head. 1

6. In a crcasingand hemming machine, a work holding table composed oflongitudinal sections normally arranged in spaced lelation so as toprovide material receiving slots, certain of said sections being movabletoward each other so as to crease the material thcrebetween, means forforcing the material into said slots composed of spaced verticallyarranged plates, a yieldingly held presser plate intermediate of thevertically arranged plates whereby the material is held on'one of saidmovable sections, the vertically arranged plates and presser plate beingmounted to move as a unit toward and away from the movable sections,means whereby the movable sections are controlled, and means whereby thefirst mentioned means are controlled.

7. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a work holding tablehaving stationary and movable sections, the movable sections beingnormally held in spaced relation with .each other and with thestationary section whereby material receiving slots are providedlengthwise of the table, a recip rocating head disposed aboveone of themovable sections and provided with material engaging members laterallyspaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of said movabletop section for forcing the material downward on opposite sides of saidmovable section, a pressure applying plate yieldingly mountedintermediate of the members of said head whereby the material is held infirm relation with said movable section, means for moving said headdownwardly into contact with said material, and means whereby themovable sections are forced toward each other and toward the station-arysection.

8. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a work holding table, aplurality of crease forming members arranged parallel with and in theplane of the table top, means for normally maintaining said creaseforming members in spaced relation, means whereby the material to becreased and hemmed is forced between said members, means for determiningthe extent of operation of said second mentioned means, and meanswhereby said members are moved into crease forming relation.

9. A creasing and hemming machine, comprising a work holding topcomposed of stationary and movable sec'tioins,'the movable sectionsbeing adapted "to slide transversely toward each other and toward thestationary section, means for preventing longitudinal movement of saidmovable sections, means for yieldingly maintaining the movable sectionsin spaced relation with each other and with the stationary section,means for moving the movable sections toward each other and toward thestationary section, material lable means whereby the extent ofreciprocation of said last mentioned means may be controlled, 'and'meanswhereby said reciprocable means is operated.

WILLIAM WADE.

